I don’t know who started the rumor that Mary Kay’s classic basic skin care was being discontinued, but Darrell Overcash denied it in February 2007. The rumors persist, however, that the classic line will be replaced with the botanical line Read more…

A December 2006 seminar by the Direct Selling Association included this breakout session on bloggers who oppose multi-level marketing:

Search the Direct Selling Association’s member database for sellers of skincare and cosmetics, and you’ll find 55 members. Multi-level marketing companies selling beauty products are a dime a dozen. Arbonne International is one of the better known beauty MLMs, right Read more…

Once again, Mary Kay Cosmetics claims “best selling brand” status with some fancy math. Another year, another claim to be the “best selling brand.” I dispute that title for the following reasons:

This piece comes from Crown Financial Ministries, a Christian organization that teaches financial principles. Multilevel sales programs by Crown Financial Ministries

This is courtesy of Ann Vertel, a woman who “helps” Mary Kay sales directors move up. Her writings fit perfectly with Mary Kay, as they promote the ever-popular cult-like tactic of not talking to anyone who doesn’t “believe”. Naturally, this Read more…

Written by Whiz Mary Kay is not a franchise, and here’s why the company is glad they’re not! Lots of disclosures go along with being a franchise… disclosures Mary Kay would never want to make. While I was on a Read more…

We see the monthly commissions of Mary Kay’s national sales directors, but have you ever wondered how those numbers all add up? Mary Kay Cosmetics publishes totals, and here are the figures for the six months ended December 31, 2006.

Paula Begoun, who calls herself the Cosmetics Cop, reviews Arbonne and a few of the company’s products. Paula says that she receives more email about Arbonne than any other “direct sales” cosmetics line. Now I disagree with the characterization of Read more…

When it comes to emotional manipulation in multi-level marketing companies, I think Mary Kay takes the cake. Mary Kay Cosmetics easily wins the award for best at finding weaknesses and exploiting them for all the money they’re worth. Here are Read more…